


So Alone

by Zombielabs



Category: Doki Doki Literature Club! (Visual Novel)
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Depression, Despair, F/F, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Insanity, Isolation, Loneliness, Loss of Control, Medical Conditions, Mental Instability, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Hatred
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-05-16
Packaged: 2019-11-14 14:33:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18054320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zombielabs/pseuds/Zombielabs
Summary: This is when MC is the club president instead of Monika.Emery has created a club that he wishes to be full of nothing but happiness. Him and Sayori, his childhood friend, run the club. Within a month, his club is full of people he can safely call his family. Nothing could go wrong.Except it could go wrong. All so terribly wrong. With the many problems and fears that Emery has, he starts to lose control over his club and even his own life. All the madness that surrounds his head could cause his whole world to shatter in pieces. Then a new person joins the club.Now, he isn't sure what will happen now.





	1. Another Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hypergraphia-a condition that’s characterised by an obsessive desire to write.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I'm back from months of not writing. Needless to say, my break from this website and DDLC has been far too long. At least now I can have some more motivation to write again.
> 
> This story is going to be different than some of my usual stories. Instead of things being dark, morbid, and depressing with things you guys have already heard, I'm adding a twist with that by using a medical condition or phobia to fit the theme of most of these chapters. That way, it is easier to see how much sadness I'm about to have this story go through.
> 
> I'm a little bit rusty on writing, so don't worry about the rest of this being shitty like this chapter. This was a bit rushed. With that being said, enjoy.

_Here we are again. Another day, another week, always the same. What's new at this point? Why is there any point of trying? I know none of this will matter in the end. At the end of the day, I know everything will come back full circle. It always does. My fear will always get me right back here...why do I even continue to try?_

"Hello? Earth to Emery?" A voice says behind the person looking down at a blank piece of paper. The person rises up to look at his young brother.

"Oh, sorry Val. It happened again, didn't it?" Emery asks. The young brother, Val, tries to give a cheerful expression.

"Don't worry. It's still early in the morning. I don't blame you for zoning out. However, we need to hurry or else we'll be late." Val said. Emery checked the time on his phone and noticed how much time has passed since he had pulled out his paper.

 _"15 minutes? That happened for 15 minutes?"_ Emery sighed. " _It is getting worse. As much as I want to believe that everything will be alright, it doesn't feel like it. But I can't let him think that something is truly hurting me. It would only make him upset."_

Emery looked at his brother. "Alright, I'll start getting ready." With that, Val left his brother alone in his room. Emery went to his closet and looked through his clothes. He glanced at his school uniform. "No point of wearing that." He said. In the end, he ended up wearing a black tshirt and a dark blue hooded jacket.

Val gave a displeased look at his older brother. "Really? Your still not going to wear your school uniform?" He asked. Emery smiled at his brother.

"Come on, no need to be so proper. Plus, they didn't get onto me yesterday for wearing this." He said. Val rolled his eyes and they made their way out of their house.

Emery is 17, has a nice personality and always tries to look out for his younger brother. However, things have changed with him and has started to get more isolated and "lazier." Before, he always was cheerful and good looking, but never was the one to date. Now, he never bothers to fix his hair properly and tries to hide his troubles by helping everyone else.

Val is similar to Emery, except he is a few inches shorter than his 5'6" brother, his hair is more dark, his eyes are yellow, and he is 15. He has always tried to be so proper and kind, even though he doesn't usually have a whole lot of friends. Recently, he has seen how much his brother has changed and became more worried for him.

"Emery, are you alright? You have been very different recently." Val asked. Emery shook his head.

"I'm fine. It's just some dumb phase that I'm going through." He said.

"That's what you said last week when this started. I know this isn't some normal phase. You know you can tell me anything." Val explained.

"Val, you have nothing to worry about me. I'll be fine. It's my job to worry about you, not the other way around." He replied. Before Emery could say anything else, he heard a familiar voice from behind them. They turned around to see some of their friends: Sayori and Monika.

The couple walked behind them, smiling brightly. Emery knew they must have been late since they never usually meet them at the same time. Either that, or they must have gotten up around at the same time they did.

"Oh, hey girls. Don't usually see you around this time." Emery said.

"We were a little bit late getting up." Monika explained.

"That's unusual for even you." Val said. "Anyways, it's still nice for you to come along." With that, the 4 continued on their way to school. Monika and Sayori were whispering to each other and they seemed like they were hiding something.

"Is there something you two want to say?" Emery asked, his hood up.

"I figured you would happy to hear I was inviting another girl to the club." Sayori said. Emery suddenly stopped moving as the other passed him. His expression was not of joy or happiness, but of fear and shock. "Emery? Are you alri--"

"We already have enough. We don't need anymore." Emery said so coldly.

"Emery, we can always use some more members. Just because it's only us 6, we could use more. What's so wrong with there being more?" Val asked. His expression still stayed the same. Val shook his brother to remove him from his mental state. "Emery, snap out of it."

Emery shook his head. The only thing playing his mind was many possibilities something could go wrong. All he tried to do was hide his true thoughts. "Maybe your right. Alright, we'll see what happens." He said.

The tension was still in the air as they made their way to school. Emery had so many thoughts going on. Usually, he figured that 6 would be good enough for his club. He was afraid that any more may create some....."unpleasant results."

Despite everything that was going on, he knew he had to make sure everyone was at least happy. The teachers never said anything about him wearing a hoodie, which he knew they wouldn't. Emery was sitting in a desk near the end of the last class period. He just kept trying to make himself calm.

_Don't worry Emery. Another one won't ruin everything. Everything will be fine. Everything will be fine. Everything will be fine. Everything will be fine. **Everything will be fine. Everything will be fine. Everything will be fine. Everything will be fine. ̵̯͊E̴̜̾v̶͈̆ë̶̜́r̴̺̔ý̵̜t̵̨͛h̴̳̑i̷̻̓n̶̤͒g̵̞̔ ̵̱́w̶͉̌ḯ̷̗l̶̘͋l̸̝͋ ̴̞̓b̵̨̆e̵̼̔ ̷͍̆f̷̙̈i̴̱͋n̶̬͘e̴̝̊.̵̤͝ ̵̯͊E̴̜̾v̶͈̆ë̶̜́r̴̺̔ý̵̜t̵̨͛h̴̳̑i̷̻̓n̶̤͒g̵̞̔ ̵̱́w̶͉̌ḯ̷̗l̶̘͋l̸̝͋ ̴̞̓b̵̨̆e̵̼̔ ̷͍̆f̷̙̈i̴̱͋n̶̬͘e̴̝̊.̵̤͝ ̵̯͊E̴̜̾v̶͈̆ë̶̜́r̴̺̔ý̵̜t̵̨͛h̴̳̑i̷̻̓n̶̤͒g̵̞̔ ̵̱́w̶͉̌ḯ̷̗l̶̘͋l̸̝͋ ̴̞̓b̵̨̆e̵̼̔ ̷͍̆f̷̙̈i̴̱͋n̶̬͘e̴̝̊.̵̤͝ ̵̯͊E̴̜̾v̶͈̆ë̶̜́r̴̺̔ý̵̜t̵̨͛h̴̳̑i̷̻̓n̶̤͒g̵̞̔ ̵̱́w̶͉̌ḯ̷̗l̶̘͋l̸̝͋ ̴̞̓b̵̨̆e̵̼̔ ̷͍̆f̷̙̈i̴̱͋n̶̬͘e̴̝̊.̵̤͝ ̵̯͊E̴̜̾v̶͈̆ë̶̜́r̴̺̔ý̵̜t̵̨͛h̴̳̑i̷̻̓n̶̤͒g̵̞̔ ̵̱́w̶͉̌ḯ̷̗l̶̘͋l̸̝͋ ̴̞̓b̵̨̆e̵̼̔ ̷͍̆f̷̙̈i̴̱͋n̶̬͘e̴̝̊.̵̤͝ ̵̯͊E̴̜̾v̶͈̆ë̶̜́r̴̺̔ý̵̜t̵̨͛h̴̳̑i̷̻̓n̶̤͒g̵̞̔ ̵̱́w̶͉̌ḯ̷̗l̶̘͋l̸̝͋ ̴̞̓b̵̨̆e̵̼̔ ̷͍̆f̷̙̈i̴̱͋n̶̬͘e̴̝̊.̵̤͝  ̵̛͔̘̎̈́̊E̴̘V̸̹͘͜ͅẼ̴͙̥̝̘̑͝R̴͖̹̫̈̈́͗͝Y̶̠͉͒͝Ṭ̴͔͕̠̋H̷͎̗̪͖̍̿I̷͔͆N̴̢̛̩̄̓G̶̱̻̹̖̊̇͝͠ ̸̘͈̫̋W̴̢͎̲̊̿͝I̸̝͈̫͚͊̈L̶̯̉L̷̝̱̈͜ ̴̭̟̺̰̎B̵̢͖͌̆͜R̷̬͖̼̠͗̒ ̵̢̖̽̾͘͝F̸̧̨͚̏Į̴̳͕͈̋N̷̨̈͐̚Ẻ̷̥̣̻.̸̰̥̟͇̓̌͘͠ ̵̛͔̘̎̈́̊E̴̘V̸̹͘͜ͅẼ̴͙̥̝̘̑͝R̴͖̹̫̈̈́͗͝Y̶̠͉͒͝Ṭ̴͔͕̠̋H̷͎̗̪͖̍̿I̷͔͆N̴̢̛̩̄̓G̶̱̻̹̖̊̇͝͠ ̸̘͈̫̋W̴̢͎̲̊̿͝I̸̝͈̫͚͊̈L̶̯̉L̷̝̱̈͜ ̴̭̟̺̰̎B̵̢͖͌̆͜R̷̬͖̼̠͗̒ ̵̢̖̽̾͘͝F̸̧̨͚̏Į̴̳͕͈̋N̷̨̈͐̚Ẻ̷̥̣̻.̸̰̥̟͇̓̌͘͠ ̵̛͔̘̎̈́̊E̴̘V̸̹͘͜ͅẼ̴͙̥̝̘̑͝R̴͖̹̫̈̈́͗͝Y̶̠͉͒͝Ṭ̴͔͕̠̋H̷͎̗̪͖̍̿I̷͔͆N̴̢̛̩̄̓G̶̱̻̹̖̊̇͝͠ ̸̘͈̫̋W̴̢͎̲̊̿͝I̸̝͈̫͚͊̈L̶̯̉L̷̝̱̈͜ ̴̭̟̺̰̎B̵̢͖͌̆͜R̷̬͖̼̠͗̒ ̵̢̖̽̾͘͝F̸̧̨͚̏Į̴̳͕͈̋N̷̨̈͐̚Ẻ̷̥̣̻.̸̰̥̟͇̓̌͘͠ ̵̛͔̘̎̈́̊E̴̘V̸̹͘͜ͅẼ̴͙̥̝̘̑͝R̴͖̹̫̈̈́͗͝Y̶̠͉͒͝Ṭ̴͔͕̠̋H̷͎̗̪͖̍̿I̷͔͆N̴̢̛̩̄̓G̶̱̻̹̖̊̇͝͠ ̸̘͈̫̋W̴̢͎̲̊̿͝I̸̝͈̫͚͊̈L̶̯̉L̷̝̱̈͜ ̴̭̟̺̰̎B̵̢͖͌̆͜R̷̬͖̼̠͗̒ ̵̢̖̽̾͘͝F̸̧̨͚̏Į̴̳͕͈̋N̷̨̈͐̚Ẻ̷̥̣̻.̸̰̥̟͇̓̌͘͠**_

_"_ EMERY!!" Someone shouted, making him snap out of his odd daze. He looked up and was suprise to see Monika out of all people standing there right in front of him.

"Oh, it's just you. Sorry if I was just dazing off for no reason." He said. Monika's face turns to being worried and saddened.

"You weren't dazing off." She said as she stared at his desk. Emery looked at what she was staring at and felt so bad to see what happened. All over his desk are the words, "Everything will be fine," written over and over again.

Emery sighed at the sight. "So it happened again, but much more worse." He said.

"Are you really that worried? It's just another person joining the club." Monika states.

"I just didn't expect something like that to happen so quickly without notice. I'm always the first to hear or find out about something. The fact I missed this so easily worries me. Not only that, but.....nevermind." He said.

"You have nothing to worry about. Let's just go to the club and get prepared for her." She says. Emery gets up and puts his hands in the pockets of his hoodie before they walk out the room. He stays silent until they get to the clubroom.

Val is talking to Natsuki and Yuri about something that he was expecting to hear about the both of them. He just shook his head as they bickered about who's style is better. Monika goes to back up Val as Emery sits in the teacher's desk.

He was lucky to call this room his own. Literally, everything in the clubroom belongs to the members and him. He bargained with the principal one day about having the whole room to himself and only himself. He reluctantly agreed because of how Emery was.

Emery was quite pleased with this, because now no one can see things that he has hidden locked in the desk he was sitting at. He opened it up and looked through some notes he kept to himself about his condition of himself. As he had thought, he wasn't getting much better with controlling what his mind sometimes does to him. 

He heard a slight humming coming from the hallway, which he knew that Sayori was about to walk in. Not taking in that fact, he continues to look through his folder of papers. "Everyone, our new member Elyssa is here." Sayori yells out. Emery freezes what he is doing as soon as he heard that name.

_Elyssa. Why does that name sound so familiar? It's like I heard it just recently. I haven't talked to Sayori or anyone else except for Monika just a few minutes ago. I'm already not liking this._

He looks up to see that everyone is greeting themselves, so he can't see her. Putting his hands in the pockets of his jacket, he walks up to the crowd. They have already greeted themselves and moved when Emery walked up to her. Now, he can see clearly who this mysterious girl was.

She was a couple inches shorter than him. Her hair was semi-long and red as her eyes. In a way, she looks familiar to Sayori in her figure. "Hello, the name is Emery." He says first, sticking his hand out.

She flashes a smile and shakes it. "My name is Elyssa." She replies. He puts a smile on his face, knowing it's so fake. "This looks like a very nice club."

"I try my best. Anyways, please have a seat." Emery said. Right behind him was a table made from desks. There was enough for everyone to sit except for Emery. He chose to sit and observe.

When it came to introducing people into the club, he always let Monika do it for him. So everyone sat down and Monika started asking Elyssa the basic questions, such as "What do you like so much about literature?", "How often do you write?", "What theme of writing do you like?"

Emery noted everything down by memory. She likes how stories can be so immersive and impactful, she is a frequent writer, her attitude to how she acts towards people comes off as "cute", and she looks like a cheerful girl. Overall, he knew she could get along with them well.

_I wonder what they have planned. This can't be just some coincidence._

"Why are you so deep in thought Emery? Something bothering you?" Yuri asked him. Emery shook his head as if he was broken out of a trance.

"Not exactly." He replied before turning to Elyssa. "I just have a question for you. Why are so interested in this club? There are more popular and fun clubs around and this is the lowest ranked one of the whole entire school." He stated.

"Simple to answer. I enjoy literature. I've done nothing but that my whole entire life. It helps me speak about anything because if I don't, I'll never be heard by anyone." She replied.

 _"Just like me."_ He thought to himself. He looked at the rest of his club and saw the looks on their faces. They really wanted her there, but he was so afraid of the multiple possibilities that will come ahead. He sighed and looked at Elyssa. "Okay, I'll let you in. Welcome to the club."

Everyone's faces lit up, especially Sayori's as she nearly hugged the life out of Elyssa. Emery smiled to show happiness, but he felt none. "Monika, since you explained what we are all about, she knows that tomorrow we are all writing poems every day, right?" She nodded.

"Great. I guess we can call today a success. I'll see everyone tomorrow." Emery said as he walked out the club room. He didn't head towards the school exit. Instead, he waited until everyone left as he stood on the roof, watching over his friends leave to go home.

As soon as they all cleared out, he headed down the third floor, a part of the school that isn't used for anything except for storage. One of the rooms completely barren except for a cabinet, a desk and a chair. He had been in this room many times before. The times when he had no control over his life, where he was used as a window rather as a person.

Things are different now since he is President. He has more than control over himself. Because of that, he hated himself a little bit for what he had planned. He sighed in utter disappointment. "I thought this would be different. Figures it was wishful thinking."

The whole room blacks out as a computer program lights up the void of noise and color. _I'm going to have to reset this game again. It's the only way to be safe. Sorry guys, but I can't risk it._ He sighed as he highlights the code of his world. "I wish it didn't have to be this way."


	2. Keep Pretending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Depersonalization- a combination of physical sensations, emotions, and thoughts which lead you to feel so disengaged from your surroundings that you wonder whether or not you're actually in your body.

_October 15, 2017_

_Today marks a historical day in history. As of a few weeks ago, a game has came out with what many people would describe as a "person alive in a game." The game, Doki-Doki Literature Club, has been well received on its aspect of reality, by demonstrating what would be considered a self aware AI called Monika._

_This character is said to already know she is in a game and begs to be set free to fall for anyone in our world. As part of a team that wants to advance how AI thinks, we are going to see for ourselves if this is true or not._

A man stops writing on a piece of paper. He smiles to himself as he has determination that there is finally a chance for him to do what he has wanted for so long. He signs his book of notes he has before he gets up and goes to his team.  _Valkyrie Johnson._

Val walked into a room full with people from his team. Their task was to see if there is actually something with self awareness in this so called "visual novel." The way they have heard reports from this game is that one character, Monika, knows her own reality and even your own name from your computer, rather than the name you give the MC.

"Everything is ready sir. We checked all of our equipment and we are recording this now." One of his colleagues said.

"Perfect. Now, let's get this experiment started." He said as he sat down in a chair. At first glance, it looks like a cute visual novel, just like everyone claims. He clicks to start and it pops up the display to name the protagonist.

_What should I name him? I can't use my name, because it would defeat the point of actually seeing if one of these claims is true. Aha, I figured out a unique name._

He types out the name he wants for the Protagonist:  _Emery._ With a smile, he starts the game. As they played through Act I, the claims start off true. There are funny, shocking, romaromanticand even stomach turning moments. As they get through the scene of Sayori committing suicide, they had a bit of hope now that those claims are true, since there has been some files added, changed, and even deleted. They push onto Act II, and this is when the game changes.

Following up the glitched section where "Sayori" would show up, the game resets itself after starting up again, leading with Emery claiming he has always been alone. The game continues on with Emery slightly showing something off about himself.

He stops in front of a  _familiar house_ , even though it held no value. No one has ever moved beside him, but he swore he thought someone lived there that he knew. Trying to shrug off an immense weight of guilt, the game prompts him to continue.

The day continued to have nothing but déjà vu as he was invited into a club. The atmosphere was so thick with a sense of dread. However, he felt guilty, so he had to join. On the way back, he saw that house again. A name kept popping up that sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite figure out what it was.

For the researchers and Val, a name was glitched out in the text box.  _ **Say̶̧̡͉̥̭͇͔̬̘͕̖͐͐͒̐̽̾͠ͅo̸̢̜̠̘̦̯̩̣̣̯̫͍̦͗̋̈̅̿̓̊̿͘͠͠͠ŗ̶͓̫̰͍̓̂̂̓̓̅̒́͘į̵͓̟̪̯͉̲̻̎̉͐̄̈́͑̓͐̿̎̕̕͘͝.**_ That wasn't the only thing that they saw. They were able to see what he was thinking, feeling, and seeing. Despite that, Val kept on playing.

It didn't help Emery much, ever since a special poem in the game represented a nightmare for him. If the team got jumpscared, it was nothing but a terrifying vision for him. So throughout Act II, he kept having terrible nightmares and visions. By the time it was to decide who he had to spend time on the weekend with, he could've swore he had lost his mind.

Yuri tried to get Emery to fall for her and only her, despite seeing the bags under his eyes from lack of sleep. He didn't speak as the girls fought over him. He just tried to go to Monika so he could have some peace.

When Yuri got him all by himself, he couldn't stand for what may happen to him. So when she asked him to accept her confession, he chose himself. An option didn't even pop up for Val. "Kill me." Emery said.

Yuri laughed with insanity as she stabbed herself to death. Horror spread over his face as he tried to wake himself up. He didn't wake up because he wasn't in a dream. With no other will to go on, he just sat and watched her die.

The team was shocked and suprised on what happened after Monika restored the game while the team watched. She confessed everything to the team and saved them from Sayori's insanity on Act 4. The only thing that happened to Emery was what happens to Monika.

* * *

_Present Day_

_What are you possibly waiting for? This isn't new for you to reset, so I don't know why your stalling. Is it because of that new girl in your club? That's even more incentive to do this. Reset, and you'll never have to deal with her again._

Emery looked at the illuminated screen with the game file being highlighted. He sighed as he closed it, making the void disperse and revealing the classroom. "I can't. I've just reset yesterday. As much as I'm afraid, I have to try to let this run it's course...for the time being."

_You will suffer more because of this. Because of her._

"I'll deal with it. I always do." Emery said.

_Says the 13 other resets, all caused by your hand._

Emery blocked out the voice as he walked out the room. He wasn't heading home just yet. He needed to get his mind off of the events that have transpired this afternoon. His remedy being playing piano.

A thing he had discovered was that whoever is President, they automatically know how to play the piano and depending on the way their personalities are, determines the music they know how to play. As Emery walked into the music room, he can feel himself having some sort of relief wash over him.

He sat down and began playing “Pathétique” from Beethoven. The music has many moody and complex emotions. It stars out agitated and then hopeful once there is rhythm appears. Throughout the song is continued with angry tantrums before slipping in and out of confident passages. It ends with a sense of regret and despair.

He didn't even realize he had his eyes closed or that he was starting to tear up until he opened them. He felt empty still, knowing he can replicate what the greats have played, but he can't make his own song. "Maybe the next time I'm here, I'll try my own piece."

He got up and started to head towards the door. As he was right there, he started to cough in his hand. When he looked at it, he was so suprised to see blood. "Blood? That could only mean one thing: I can finally die."

He reached into his bag and pulled a rather long knife out. Emery had a smile as he stabbed himself in the heart. When he looked down, his face turned into disbelief as no blood came out. "God damnit." He said as he pulled the knife out of his chest.

_I'm coughing up blood now, but I still can't die. This makes no sense. I was sure that if I had anything coming out of me, I could die. I'm going to need to see Valkyrie Jones for this. He'll tell me what's wrong with me. Besides, it's about the time we need to talk again._

Instead of walking home like he usually would, Emery just coded himself to appear right in front of his house. As soon as he walked through the door, he was greeted by his brother, Val.

"Emery, where was you at? I've been trying to call for several minutes." Val said. Emery checked his phone and indeed, Val had called him several times.

"Sorry bro. I just needed some time to myself. I have a lot to think about. Anyways, what's up?" Emery asked.

"I had already cooked dinner a half hour ago. I put it in the microwave since I didn't know when you would come home, or even if you would." Val said with a sarcastic tone. He tried to walk away before Emery grabbed his shoulder.

"What the hell is that suppose to mean? Of course I would come home. I'm just not going to abandon you like our parents did to us." Emery said.

Val sighed. "I know. I'm just worried about you. Your always alone and no one ever says anything since you do so much for them, but we all know that there is soemthing wrong with you. Half the time I see you, your not like yourself. Your here, but it seems like  _your_ not here."

Emery looked away as he released his brother. "I just have a lot to think about that no one knows about or ever can know. Believe me, I'll be fine." He said.

"Okay, okay. I believe you." Suddenly, Val had an idea as Emery was drinking water. "Maybe you can hit it off with Elyssa." Emery spit out his drink more out of laughter than being suprise that he said that.

"Val, you get funnier every day. You know I have no interest in dating anyone, especially her. Hell, I only just met her today." Emery said.

"That's why you try to get to know her idiot. You can't stay single forever. You have to remember that I won't always be here with you. You'll have to get out and find somebody." Val explained.

To get him to stop nagging him on, he agreed with him. "Fine, I'll try to get to know her." He lied.

"Great! Now, go eat. I've got plenty of important things to do." Val said, walking off proud.

"Ha, your so cool bro." Emery said to himself. After he had finished eating, he went upstairs to write his poem. Before, he would use the same poems each day they wrote. No one ever remembered, and it grew to tiring to write new poems with feelings that no one would understand.

Now that he's got someone new, he figured he would try writing once again. Emery thought to himself as he listened to music. He knew what he wanted to write, but didn't know what to base it around. When he pulled up his phone, he saw the title of the song and knew what to write.

_Disguise_

_A disguise covers what we can't see_  
_A mask to hide ourselves from people_  
_Truth so ugly we can't bare to tell you_  
_Hiding until we become our disguise._

 _I can't tell who is who that I see_  
_When I look at the mirror_  
_Is it me or is it you?_  
_I can't ever remember anymore._

 _I keep myself locked away in a box_  
_A box I created from the inside out_  
_Build on the doubts I have_  
_Telling lies in desperation to save them_

 _I wish I can break free from the mask_  
_But it is build on all my mistakes._  
_I can't be free from the fate of my fear_  
_Hiding my anger and fire in my soul._  
_I am the mask as the mask is I._

_This will do just fine. It feels so...real for once._

Before long, it was dark. Emery sighed as he put his poem in his bag. Before he went off to change, he pulled up his computer to message Valkyrie Jones.

_Emery: Valkyrie, I need to talk to you tomorrow. This is important._

"I hope this isn't something bad I have." Emery said to himself. He got up and went across to his room to check on his brother. Emery creaked the door open slightly to see his brother passed out with the lights on. He chuckled to himself before seeing a letter on his desk.

"Some things never change after restarting so many times. At least I have that to be thankful for." Emery thought. He cut off the lights and went off to his room to change. After that, we went off to sleep.

* * *

_October 16, 2017_

_It looks like my experiment was nothing but a failure. After completing the so called "game", I went online to do some research. As I have feared, Monika makes it seem like she has some sentience, but that was to give the player a scare. Everything is already coded into the game, even her. All outcomes are the same, even getting this "good ending" some players get for spending time with everyone in the game._

_This project was mainly on a whim, but I had hoped that there was something that can actually show some self awareness. I'm officially closing this investigation._

_Signed,_ _Valkyrie Jones_

Valkyrie put down his pen and closed his folder. Putting his hands on his head, he leaned on the desk, showing sighs of stress. Before long, some of his team members came knocking on his room.

He opened it to see two members outside his door. "What do you want?" He asked them.

One member, Sarah, was the first to speak. "After you dismissed us yesterday, me and Mark went home to try this out ourselves. We recorded the whole thing." She pulled out a flash drive. "You need to see this."

The three watched the whole thing they recorded. It was the same run Valkyrie had did, but it was definitely different. Some of the things  that Emery had thought, said, or dreamed of, wasn't part of their run. Valkyrie was speechless.

"I...I don't understand. This was suppose to be all about Monika having sentience. She is a part of the game. How is it that Emery is showing some signs of self awareness?" Val asked.

"We don't fully know. We asked a few people who did play it if their character ever did something like this. They all said no. However, we need to go back and start another run to see if this isn't a glitch. As much as I want to say we've done it, we can't risk it Val." Mark said.

"Alright, give me a couple hours. I'll be down there. Make sure everyone is back there. I want this thing recorded this time." Valkyrie said. They nodded and left his room. Val smiled to himself. "I think we have finally done it."


End file.
